The amazing red crab migration of Christmas Island

This is nothing to do with church or technology or the usual stuff of this blog. I’m posting it anyway, because it’s cool and a bit terrifying all at once. It’s the amazing red crab migration of Christmas Island.

From October through December, adult crabs make their way from the interior forests to the beaches to spawn. It is a slow-moving stampede. While the crabs are not aggressive, seeing a moving wave like a gigantic seafood smorgasbord is a little terrifying. Some of the animals are 50 or 60 years old, and they are very large (nearly 5 inches long). The males are larger, and the females have daintier claws. The colors of the crabs vary: some are orange and coral-red, with a rare purple animal now and then. They eat almost anything, including grass, fresh or rotting leaves, and even dung!

Watch the video. Trust me, it’s worth it.

If you can make a connection (allegorical or otherwise) between these crazy crabs and church, you will win a priceless gift: the admiration of 7WD readers. I challenge you!

3 Responses

My wife and I had a similar experience driving to and from the Bay of Pigs in Cuba two years ago. It was the end of April and the crabs were travelling across the only road in a carpet and one had no choice but to carry on in spite of the dreadful noise (and ultimately smell) of crushed crabs.

Scott,
you might draw your congregation’s attention to the other main thing that is happening on Christmas island, the large detention centre used to house asylum seekers by the Australian Government. You might draw a contrast between the free movement of the crabs and the people held behind bars. I am sure you could preach up a storm about that.